Springing Into Action on Acomb Community Garden

As the days get longer, work continues on the Acomb Community Garden project at Acomb Methodist Church. After successful work with a digger and tree surgeon in February, the focus has turned to preparing the ground and putting some shape to the garden at the beginning of the growing season.   

View over the garden following clearance and levelling

There are two reasons for this approach: firstly, as this is not a domestic garden there is no automatic "permitted development", so planning permission is required to install structures or hard landscaping such as paths. While this is achievable and unlikely to be refused, it will take time and require fundraising to support the production of detailed plans for the planning application. 

The second reason is that we are currently tendering for the ground source heat pump (see previous post here - further updates to be published soon!) This will require drilling and pipe installation, but the exact location of boreholes/pipework will to some extent depend on the chosen contractor so it is wise to allow the garden to be shaped around the boreholes rather than vice versa.

After laying the hedge, Gill plants potatoes
in the veg section

Shaping up the Garden Plans
The garden has now been marked out with stakes to show where the major features will go with a cross-shaped pathway dividing the garden into four sections:   

• A larger lawn area around a feature tree which will have seating around it, providing space for children to play or to hold events (garden party, anyone?) We also dream of installing a living willow structure to play around as well.
• Vegetable growing area, currently planted with two rows of potatoes and a rhubarb patch! We'll be adding to this over the course of the spring (donations of seeds or plants always very welcome!
• A space where the proposed meeting room/prayer space will go.
• Wildflower meadow with bee and butterfly-friendly flowers (see below)
• Trees around the edge of the garden: we have now cleared dead trees or those which were in the wrong place, and we are now looking to put in fruit trees and others to provide just the right amount of shading and seclusion. 

Trees providing shade and interest along
the back of the garden

Feature tree on the new lawn area

What's Next? 
 We'd like this to be something we build together, so join us for Seed Sowing Saturday on 18th April from 10am, where we'll be planting the wildflower seeds and the lawn. This is a great event for both children and adults alike (as you'll have seen from the photos of our previous family workdays!) 

We are also looking for donations of plants or seeds or anyone with skills to share, from composting to pruning fruit trees! You could sponsor a tree or help fundraise to make the garden a reality. Or if you're really keen, we'd love more committee me(approx once a month commitment) and a project manager (someone who could commit a bit more time) to help take the project forward. If you want to get involved in the garden project in any of these ways, come along to one of our workdays, call the church office or get in touch by leaving a comment below.

See also

• Acomb Garden: The Transformation Begins (Feb 2015)
• Day of the Digger (March 2015)